run

Like Snoop Dogg Says…

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

Sharing something you love is probably the greatest gift. Yesterday a co-worker and I decided to get a short run in together. We’re starting a 5k training group at the gym and wanted to see how our paces match up, what we thought of a training program….etc. I decided to leave my house a bit early and get a couple miles in before I met up with him just to warm up and make sure I got in enough to satisfy me for the day.

Now, my co-worker, we’ll call him ‘Doug’ is a guy that used to run quite a bit but was clearly a football/hockey/big guy in high school and has since had a few kids, has a desk job and doesn’t run all that much. Actually, he admitted it had been years since his last ‘jog’. We ran for about 15 minutes at a steady pace, he was tired, winded, and still powerful. He pounded up the hill that I struggled on and we finished strong.

There’s something about sharing what you love to do with someone who is eager to learn that is so satisfying. Later that day I texted Doug to see how he felt and his response was returned quickly and enthusiastically: “GREAT! Sore, but great! Let’s do it again soon!” exactly the response I wanted.

“It ain’t no fun if the homies can’t have none. ”
― Snoop Dogg

Share what you know, absorb what others give you, and embrace what you create together.

VD, Scrapes, Run and Confusion

/ Sloan / 4 Comments

Sorry I keep talking about how beautiful the views are here. I know many of my friends/famiy that read this are stuck in the mid west with zero elevation gain and flat lands for miles (but you DO have the lakes! Oh I miss the lakes!) I just wanted to report on another ahhh haaa moment I had on my Valentines Day run.

My friend and I drove up this super steep long road that started as dirt and slowly became snow. I’m not used to this. I’m used to snow all the time, all over, knee deep annoying and cold… but here I have to seek snow out and I don’t have a car to scrape off in the morning—I kinda like it. Any way, we hit the trail and ran a few miles out and back and enjoyed the chill of February 14th. I was cold and hot at the same time, sweating profusely for some reason, but then really cold from the chill of my own sweat, (does this happen to anyone else?) It was invigorating and the air was fresh and clean at 6,000 feet.

On our way back down we drove slowly, we wanted to take notice of the houses, (my friend is looking for a house for when her significant other moves out here,) the houses are beautifully nestled in the mountainside but pretty far removed from town. My house is small, quiet, cold, (mostly because we don’t want to pay for heat) but really close to town, really close to trails, stores, bars and two great grocery stores. Location! Location! Location!

I love my roomies, I love this town, my jobs are pretty awesome, yet why do I keep reading travel blogs, reading poems about Wanderlust and yearn for life on the road again? My Valentines Day consisted of loving where I am but dreaming of something else? Weird, right? Oh, AND I fell off my bike. It was a well-rounded day of scraping my knee, re-spraining my ankle and confusing my head, heart and body. Oh well. I’m here right now, so I’m enjoying the views while I can.

 

Breathe, Sloan, BREATHE.

 

Ps: I’m fine, just whiney about my knee and ankle. I ran this morning. J

Sunshine and Running Shoes

/ Sloan / 1 Comment

I did the same loop today that I did on that super warm February day, only this morning I was forced to wear long sleeves, Capri pants (I’m rarely in a full tight,) and I SHOULD have had gloves, but forgot. The sunshine duped me into thinking it was warmer than it actually was. There’s something about sunshine and a pair of running shoes that go together so well.

I didn’t really want to run this morning. It was more of a need of miles and some time alone before another big retail day. Walking out my front door I still wasn’t convinced I was feeling like a run. Then I got into my pace, felt light on my feet and got that ooooh yeah, this is it feeling. That feeling you don’t ever EXPECT to get, but when you feel it you know.

I’m not fast. I didn’t go that far. I passed some other runners and their dog (you have to admit that it’s always satisfying to know you’re a little bit faster than someone else…) I got it done, I climbed the hills and rounded the corner home. Satisfied. Ready for a cup of coffee and a day at work.

 

What has the weather been like where you live?

What gets you motivated to get your butt out the door?